Soft-Pretzel Envy

What do you do when your toddler has a melt-down, because his friend has a soft-pretzel and he doesn't?  Imagine the scene - an almost 3 year old playing tug of war over a bakery bag, that is not his, with a 7 year old girl.  How embarrassing, but really, can you blame him?  Isn't everyone willing to put up a good fight for a soft-pretzel?  I know I am. 

You think, no biggie, we'll go to the bakery and buy some. 

Then you remember that you are not only without a car this week, but since your double-stroller is in the trunk of that car, you are also stroller-less.  This does not make a trip down to the village bakery very easy.

Older toddler, (2.75 years), would refuse to hold my hand, run out into the street, laugh, and think it is a game of, "catch me if you can".  All the while, I, Mommy, would go into full-blown panic mode.  I  envision myself charging down the hill after him, giving whiplash to the 15 month old strapped to my chest, in an infant carrier, that he outgrew about 6 months ago.  All the while, German onlookers would shake their heads in disgust, thinking to themselves, "Why can't those Americans control their children"?  I know these looks firsthand.

Then I thought, let's bake our own soft-pretzels!  What fun!  I have been wanting to try my hand at baking pretzels, lately.  This was the perfect opportunity.  A recipe for Bavarian Style Pretzels had been floating around my kitchen for a least the last month or so.  Good thing a fresh package of dry-active yeast was purchased on my last commissary run. 

The ingredients were measured, mixed, rested, kneaded, divided, rolled, bathed, salted, and finally, baked.  The aroma that permeated my haus... WOW!  It smelled like a bakery in my very own, funky, little kitchen.   I should have started baking my own pretzels eons ago.  Oh well, now I know how easy and quick (sort of), it is to enjoy delicious, warm, soft-pretzels in the comfort of your own home!  My little boys were VERY happy...and that makes this Mommy, ecstatic.